The present invention relates generally to creating and posting web pages to the internet, and more specifically, to a method for more easily developing web pages through the use of a graphical user interface.
The World Wide Web (web) has rapidly become an invaluable tool to individuals and businesses. Not only can an individual or business post information on the web, but it can also use the web to transact business. Because the public is acutely aware of the web""s business and personal benefits, millions of web pages are being added to the web each year.
Typically, a web page is defined by a document containing HyperText Markup Language (HTML) code. An HTML document suitable for posting on the internet includes both xe2x80x9ccontentxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmarkup.xe2x80x9d The content is information which describes a web page""s text or other information for display or playback on a computer""s monitor, speakers, etc. The markup is information which describes the web page""s behavioral characteristics, such as how the content is displayed and how other information can be accessed via the web page.
In order to provide web-based information and services over the internet, the web employs xe2x80x9cclientxe2x80x9d computers, xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d software, and xe2x80x9cserverxe2x80x9d computers. A client computer is a computer used by an individual to connect to the internet and access web pages. A browser is a software application, located on a client computer, which requests, via the internet, a web page from a server computer. After receiving the web page, the browser displays the web page on the client computer""s monitor. A server computer is a computer which stores web page information, retrieves that information in response to a browser""s request, and sends the information, via the internet, to the client computer. Thus, after a web page is created, the page must be xe2x80x9cpostedxe2x80x9d to a particular server computer which xe2x80x9chostsxe2x80x9d the page, so that the page can be accessed over the internet.
In order to have one""s web page hosted by a server, the individual must contract with an internet service provider (ISP) associated with the server. This contract specifies, among other things, the duration of the time that the ISP will host the page, and how much the individual will pay for that hosting service.
Even though the idea of having one""s own web page is appealing, the average individual has little or no knowledge about how to create a web page. Particularly, the average individual does not know how to create an HTML document or to post that document to a server computer. Unless that individual is willing to learn how to create and post their own web page, that individual is faced with few options.
The most commonly used avenue for an individual to get his web page on the internet is to employ one of numerous companies to provide, for a fee, web page development services. After contacting such a company, the individual would meet with one of the company""s web page designers to explain the individual""s concept for his web page. The designer would then create the associated HTML document. After approval by the individual, the designer may provide the service of posting the web page to a server computer. The server computer typically is not associated with the web page development company. Thus, the individual must separately contract with an ISP associated with the server to host the web page.
Typically, this web page creation and posting process is time consuming and expensive, because it requires the individual and the designer to spend a significant amount of time together working on a particular web page design. In addition, the process is inefficient because the individual must work separately with a designer and an ISP. What is needed, therefore, is a method for enabling an individual to conveniently design a web page without requiring that individual to learn HTML or to interact extensively with a web page designer. What is further needed is a streamlined method for web page/website development.
The present invention relates to a method of designing a plurality of elements to be implemented on at least one web page of a website. The method includes providing a first display region on a user interface, the first display region being capable of displaying the plurality of elements, and providing a second display region on the user interface, the second display region being capable of displaying the plurality of elements. The method further includes displaying a first element in the second display region, receiving a first command to modify the first element in the second display region, modifying the first element in response to the first command, and displaying the modified first element in the first display region. The modified first element forms at least part of a first web page of the website that is displayed in the first display region, and the first display region is capable of displaying the first web page in an interactive manner.
The present invention additionally relates to a computer-readable storage medium containing computer executable code for instructing a computer to perform several steps. The steps include providing a first display region on a user interface, the first display region being capable of displaying the plurality of elements, providing a second display region on the user interface, the second display region being capable of displaying the plurality of elements, and displaying a first element in the second display region. The steps further include receiving a first command to modify the first element in the second display region, modifying the first element in response to the first command, and displaying the modified first element in the first display region. The modified first element forms at least part of a first web page of the website that is displayed in the first display region, and the first display region is capable of displaying the first web page in an interactive manner.